1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and, more particularly, to an air conditioner which is configured to reduce the difference between the suction and discharge pressures of a compressor included in the air conditioner, thereby being capable of achieving a reduction in power consumption, and thus, an enhancement in efficiency.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, air conditioners are used to cool or heat an indoor space, in order to form more comfortable indoor environments. Such an air conditioner sucks indoor air from an indoor space, and then discharges the sucked indoor air into the indoor space after heating or cooling the indoor air.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a refrigerant cycle of a conventional air conditioner.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional air conditioner includes a compressor 2 which compresses a low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant gas to a high-temperature and high-pressure state, and a condenser 4 which absorbs heat from the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas discharged from the compressor 2, and releases the absorbed heat to outdoor air in accordance with heat exchange with the outdoor air, thereby condensing the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas to a liquid state. The conventional air conditioner also includes an expansion device 6 which expands the refrigerant liquid emerging from the condenser 4 to a two-phase low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant containing mixed refrigerant gas and liquid portions, and an evaporator 8 which absorbs heat from indoor air, and evaporates the two-phase refrigerant received from the expansion device 6 to a gas state using the absorbed heat.
The conventional air conditioner further includes an outdoor blower which is arranged at one side of the condenser 4, in order to blow outdoor air to the condenser 4, and thus, to enhance the heat exchanging efficiency of the condenser 4. The outdoor blower includes an outdoor fan 10 and a motor 12. The conventional air conditioner further includes an indoor blower which blows indoor air to the evaporator 8. The indoor blower includes an indoor fan 14 and a motor 16.
In the conventional air conditioner having the above-mentioned configuration, when the compressor 2 is driven, a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas is discharged out of the compressor 2. The discharged high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas then releases heat to outdoor air while passing through the condenser 4, so that the refrigerant gas is condensed.
The condensed refrigerant is subsequently expanded to a two-phase low-temperature and low-pressure state while passing through the expansion device 8. The expanded refrigerant then passes through the evaporator 8. In the evaporator 8, the refrigerant is evaporated while absorbing heat from indoor air present in an indoor space. The evaporated refrigerant returns to the compressor 2. The above-mentioned procedure is then repeated.
Thus, the indoor space is cooled as the refrigerant absorbs heat from the indoor air in the evaporator 8.
In the conventional air conditioner, however, the compressor 2 exhibits a large difference between suction and discharge pressures. The difference between suction and discharge pressures is determined depending on the temperature of indoor air and the temperature of outdoor air. When the difference between suction and discharge pressures increases, an increase in power consumption occurs. In this regard, the conventional air conditioner has a problem of a degradation in system efficiency.